1. Technical Field
This invention relates to reinforced composite materials having a metal matrix. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of producing a composite material employing an aluminum matrix metal and a ceramic reinforcing material.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent technological advances, particularly in the automotive and aerospace industries, have seen the increased need for stronger, lighter, and more durable materials. To meet this demand, materials formulators and producers have directed their attention towards improving the physical properties and ease of manufacture of presently known composite materials.
One composite material that recently has received increased attention is the metal-matrix composite material. In a typical metal-matrix composite, a mass of reinforcing material, such as a ceramic, is dispersed within a matrix of metal. For applications requiring high material strength-to-weight ratios, aluminum alloys have been a popular matrix metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,099 (herein expressly incorporated by reference) discusses various conventional methods for manufacturing metal matrix composites. In general, conventional methods and articles are time consuming, expensive, require high pressures, are limited to the fabrication of articles having simple shapes, or to the fabrication of articles that employ a single type of preform, or otherwise possess attributes making the process undesirable in certain commercial-scale production respects, particularly in automotive applications.